It Vexes Me. I'm Terribly Vexed

11/17/2013

Not a very exciting training day. I almost never drink. Like maybe a couple times a year. Anyway Saturday night was one of those times, and I had 2 martinis, 4 beers, and 5 shots of gin (did the shots at the same time; poured em into a glass). I have an inexplicably high tolerance, but even still this was enough to make me sluggish on Sunday. Can’t let anything stop the gain train though.

Front Squats:
45 10x
135 5x
185 8x
185 8x I’m still finding it extremely difficult to maintain a rack position. The bar just rolls right off, so I’m having to hold it in place with my arms. Pretty good bicep pump.

Split Squats:
4 sets of 10-15

Glute-Ham Raise:
BW 10x
against mini-band 8x
against mini-band 8x
BW 10x I did it Mum! I’m the best! I’m so excited about GHR’s. They’re like my favorite exercise ever since a couple weeks ago when I was magically able to do them.

Good Girl Machine:
4 sets of 10-15

superset with

Bad Girl Machine:
4 sets of 10-15

I tried some leg extensions with a band sitting on one of the incline benches. It kinda worked, but not that much.

Ab Wheel:
3 sets of 10

I had plenty of time to do calves, but I decided it’s much easier to just wear pants.

I had plenty of time to do calves, but I decided it’s much easier to just wear pants.[/quote]
I know the feeling, my dad looks like a bull on giraffe legs lol. Bad genes need good jeans for calves.

GHR = proud of you!

Oh hey there!

Good work on the GHR, and nice way of calling me an old man, thanks LOL

[quote]BCpowder wrote:
Oh hey there![/quote]
Holy fuck your TNation account is old. No wonder you’re stronger than me.

[quote]csulli wrote:
I’ve got a new training plan that I’m extremely excited about. I will try to switch over to it next week. I gave the chest day a bit of a ride yesterday though just to feel it out.

It’s a push, pull, legs split, working out 6 days a week, hitting each muscle group twice while keeping a 5/3/1 base for each of the 4 big lifts. So in addition to the four 5/3/1 days plus accessory, there are essentially two added days of just “accessory” which will be another leg day (using only front squats, not back squats) and another back day which is basically a strongman event day (no deadlifts; deadlifts are just once a week).

Monday:
Bench using 5/3/1
Incline DB 3 sets of 6-8 with a rest pause at the end
Cable Flies 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Seated DB OHP 3 sets of 6-8 with a rest pause at the end
Lateral Raises 4 sets of 10-12
DB Rear Delts 4 sets of 10-12
Weighted Dips 3 sets of 8-10
Skull Crushers 4 sets of 10-12
Rope Pushdowns 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end

Tuesday:
rest
This is my only rest day, and it will probably always be a rest day, because this is when the Wind Symphony I’m in rehearses. And you know what’s sad? I lift like 6 days a week, and I play horn once a week, and I’m still a better horn player than powerlifter lol.

Wednesday:
Deadlift using 5/3/1
Either Deficits or Stiff Legs 3 sets of 3-6
Good Mornings 3 sets of 6-8
BW Hyperextensions 4 sets of 25
DB Rows Against Incline Bench 3 sets of 6-8 may do a rest pause at the end as well based on how that feels
Lat Pulldowns 4 sets of 6-8 with a drop set at the end
Cable V-Bar Rows 4 sets of 6-8 with a drop set at the end
Cable Preacher Curls Outer Grip 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Cable Preacher Curls Middle Grip 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Cable Preacher Curls Inner Grip 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end

Thursday:
Squats using 5/3/1
Front Squats 3 sets of 5-8
Glute-ham Raises 4 sets of 10-12
Split Squats 4 sets of 8-10
Calf Raises 5 sets of 10-12

Friday:
Press using 5/3/1, may add a little log press with this every so often
Incline Barbell 3 sets of 8-10
DB Pullovers 3 sets of 10-12
DB Bench 3 sets of 10-12 with a rest pause at the end
Cable Flies 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Cable Lateral Raises 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Cable Rear Delts 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end
Weighted Dips 3 sets of 8-10
Skull Crushers 4 sets of 10-12
Rope Pushdowns 4 sets of 10-12 with a drop set at the end

Saturday:
Farmer’s Walk I dunno like 3 carries of some distance?
Atlas Stones 2 sets of 4-5 loads
DB Shrugs 4 sets of 10-15
Pullups 5 sets of 10
Scap Retractions 4 sets of 10-15
Barbell Curls 3 sets of 6-8
DB Curls Laying Against Incline Bench 4 sets of 10-12
Arnold Curls 4 sets of 10-12

Sunday:
Smith Machine Front Squats 4 sets of 10-12
Leg Extensions 4 sets of 10-12
Leg Curls 4 sets of 10-12
Lunges 4 sets of 10-12
Calf Raises 5 sets of 10-12

Super hyped to try this. My only regret is having to put 5/3/1 squat day immediately after 5/3/1 deadlift day. Ideally I would switch the two leg days so that the light one is after deads and the heavy one is more isolated. Unfortunately though the good gym is closed on Sunday, and I really don’t want to do heavy squats somewhere else, likely by myself.

It shouldn’t be too bad though, because, number one, I don’t give a shit about squats except insofar that they help my deadlift, and number two, I think I can still squat decently enough after pulling. I mean last week I pulled heavy on Friday, set a beltless PR on rackpulls and deficit deads on Sunday, and then hit a rep PR squat on Monday. So I’m not going to worry about it.[/quote]

Can you say overtraining? You need to have a talk with Mark Rippletoe.

[quote]BCpowder wrote:
Can you say overtraining? You need to have a talk with Mark Rippletoe.[/quote]
Hahaha. I briefly entertained making a bb.com account to post that so I could count how many people told me “that’s impossible for a natural”.

Rip would love it though. I’m training hip driiiive like 3 times a week.

[quote]csulli wrote:

[quote]BCpowder wrote:
Can you say overtraining? You need to have a talk with Mark Rippletoe.[/quote]
Hahaha. I briefly entertained making a bb.com account to post that so I could count how many people told me “that’s impossible for a natural”.

Rip would love it though. I’m training hip driiiive like 3 times a week.[/quote]

I think the guys over at the Animal Pak forVm (or however the hell they spell it) would be like…“that’s all bro? I do like 10x the volume.”

11/18/2013

Bench:
45 20x
135 10x
185 5x
225 5x
275 3x
300 5x Definitely not feeling like going for a rep PR, so just wanted to hit something solid. Pretty easy set.

Close Grip Bench:
245 5x
245 5x
245 5x These weren’t difficult really, but it has been a very long time since I’ve done close grips and they felt kind of uncomfortable.

Incline DB Bench:
85’s 10x
85’s 12x
85’s rest pause 12x, 5x, 3x

Cable Flies:
4 sets of 10-15; 4th set drop set with 3 drops; 10+ reps at each level

DB Overhead:
65’s 10x
65’s 10x
65’s rest pause 12x, 4x, 3x

Side Raises:
30’s for 4 sets of 12

Rear Delts:
25’s for 4 sets of 10-15

Monster Mini Chest Flies: (two bands; one tied to each side of a cable machine)
4 sets of 10

Incline Chest Machine:
3 sets of 8

Dips:
+45lbs 10x
+90lbs 8x
+90lbs 8x

DB Skullcrushers:
30’s for 4 sets of 10

Rope Pushdowns:
4 sets of 10; 4th set drop set with 3 drops; 7+ reps at each level

300 for 5:

In all seriousness this probably is a PR with my shirt still on lol.

Most def a shirt pr nice pressing I hate watching but wholes benching my squat weight GRRRRRRRR. LOL. Can you spare some pressing strength? Practicing the shirt on technique for the contests I see. Your gonna kill it bro!

11/20/2013

Deadlift:
135 6x
225 4x
315 3x
405 2x
455 1x
470 3x This was shit. Should have easily been able to do four.

Deficit Deadlift:
365 5x I had what I thought was a form revelation here so I was like “I have to go back!” I was keeping my knees bent longer, and I thought it was improving my lockout.

Deadlift: (again)
405 1x
455 1x Turns out 365 was just so light that everything felt easy. Form felt like shit.
455 1x Tried something else.
455 1x Tried something else.
455 1x My training partner suggested going out even wider with my feet and hands Brian Shaw style, except relative to my proportions. EUREKA!
455 1x There it is; a true form revelation. This felt like the best deadlift rep I’ve ever done in my life. I am very eager to try this next week.

Block Pulls:
455 3x
475 2x
495 1x

SSB Goodmornings:
135 8x What a fucking stupid exercise. It puts 100% of the weight literally on your neck. I’m never doing this again.

Regular Goodmornings:
185 8x You know what I don’t really even like these either. These are getting replaced in the future.

Hyper extensions:
4 sets of 25 w/ BW

Machine Rows:
4 sets of 10

V-Bar Pull-ups: (leaning way back)
2 sets of 10

Lat Pulldowns:
2 sets of 10, second set drop set with 3 drops

Wide Grip Cable Curls:
4 sets of 12, fourth set drop set with 3 drops

Close Grip Cable Curls:
4 sets of 12, fourth set drop set with 3 drops

YAY FORM REVELATION. Lets race to 550.

[quote]strongmanvinny wrote:
YAY FORM REVELATION. Lets race to 550. [/quote]
In three weeks time we shall have our answer.

I don’t think I’ve told you this, but I loled hard at the title of your log.

I saw the vid, on another thread of your buddy’s deadlift, 555 for a tripple, most guys don’t realize how awesome it is to train with stronger lifter’s. In my 20s I trained with a couple PLer’s that were light years ahead of me, and had amazing gains, it really matter’s. When your training partner’s are squatting 500 every week, and your at 250, you’ll get there in 6mths, instead of 2yrs. I think your mind just accepts it as fact, I don’t know, but it really help’s, anyway it’s working for ya. Latter

SSB seated GMs are great, gotta work on keeping upper back tight so it doesn’t roll up the neck!!! it will help your squat form and dl lockout. :slight_smile:

[quote]AnytimeJake wrote:
I saw the vid, on another thread of your buddy’s deadlift, 555 for a tripple, most guys don’t realize how awesome it is to train with stronger lifter’s. In my 20s I trained with a couple PLer’s that were light years ahead of me, and had amazing gains, it really matter’s. When your training partner’s are squatting 500 every week, and your at 250, you’ll get there in 6mths, instead of 2yrs. I think your mind just accepts it as fact, I don’t know, but it really help’s, anyway it’s working for ya. Latter[/quote]
Surrounding yourself with as many people stronger than you as possible is one of the most influential factors in getting better. I’ve definitely seen this first hand.

[quote]csulli wrote:

[quote]AnytimeJake wrote:
I saw the vid, on another thread of your buddy’s deadlift, 555 for a tripple, most guys don’t realize how awesome it is to train with stronger lifter’s. In my 20s I trained with a couple PLer’s that were light years ahead of me, and had amazing gains, it really matter’s. When your training partner’s are squatting 500 every week, and your at 250, you’ll get there in 6mths, instead of 2yrs. I think your mind just accepts it as fact, I don’t know, but it really help’s, anyway it’s working for ya. Latter[/quote]
Surrounding yourself with as many people stronger than you as possible is one of the most influential factors in getting better. I’ve definitely seen this first hand.[/quote]

I need some more guys like y’all to come workout at my gym.